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[jean-claude]

Vista GPU automated recovery

Hi Guys,

While running a Brook program on Vista 32, I'm entering a recurring GPU reset crash (whenever the GPU load starts being heavy):

"Display Driver Stopped Responding and Has Recovered"

The program per se works fine, as long as the GPU computation time doesn't exceed a weird hidden limit... then the crash occurs.

I suspected some form of a time-out watchdog and after some googling, I had a hint that this may come from a Vista TDR feature, which automatically tries to recover the GPU whenever nothing happens on the screen for some time.

Is there any fix or tweak that may prevent Vista to perform this automated "recovery" whenever the GPU is still busy computing???

[Ceq]

Try disabling driver VPU recover: Catalyst Control Center -> VPU Recover -> uncheck it

[jean-claude]

Thanks Ceq,

1) Well one of the issue is that I can't find VPU recover check box on Catalyst Control center (maybe it is not implemented on Vista ??) -- Weird !

2) Digging deeper into the matter:

Apparently Vista is managing the whole stuff and sets GPU  non-response time-out at a value of 2 seconds.

Supposely, this value should be changeable in the registry key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\

TdrDelay: REG_DWORD. The number of seconds that the GPU is allowed to delay the preempt request from the scheduler. This is effectively the timeout threshold (set to 2s per default)

Well too bad ... Unfortunately the mentioned registry key doesn't exists on my Vista system !!!!

[jean-claude]

More info on this topic that certainly is a common concern for all of us who use intensively the GPU for task exceeding 2s... and experience a system stall or a blue screen

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/display/wddm_timeout.mspx

Now the question is where are these damn keys on Vista registry, should AMD/ATI write them in the registry whenever the driver is installed?

Any hints?? Thanks

[jean-claude]

Hurrah: SOLVED !!!!

Ok, the trick is:

1) open your vista registry editor

2) go to the key : HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\

3) highlight it then right click on this key

4) Add DWORD TdrDelay

5) Set value of TdrDelay to the number of seconds you allow your GPU to run with no feedback to the system (ie Timeout watchdog..)

personally I've set this value to 8 seconds (from the default 2s) so that it leaves plenty of time to the GPU to perform overcomplicated computing intensive kernel without having Vista considering a fault and hence  "recovering the device"

That all folks, and should help some of you experiencing computer hung ups, or blue screens under vista.

Jean-Claude

[udeepta]

Thanks Jean-Claude -- that does help.

[Pyyhekumi]

I've had that same problem for some time now, and Vista error reporting just says to try some newer drivers. This topic sure looks promising, but one thing doesn't click...

I have Vista Premium 64-bit (Finnish language), and GraphicsDrivers says:
(oletus)    REG_SZ         (arvoa ei ole asetettu)
DkgKrnl        Version     REG_DWORD 0x00001053 (4179)
TdrDelay     REG_DWORD     0x0000003c (60)

It seems that the default value of TdrDelay has been already set to 3c and not the default 2 like Microsoft said. Now I should just try and change it to.. lets say... 8, and hope for the best?

yes/no?

[jean-claude]

What you could do too is to set the registry key

TdrLevel at 0

This would mean that Vista wouldn't try to recover GPU stuff.

BTW: I didn't try it!

Jean-Claude